Psalm 7-- Note how these psalms have little comments like this one: "A Shiggaion of David, which he sang to the LORD concerning Cush, a Benjaminite." At some point people knew what sort of musical genre a Shiggaion was; but that knowledge is lost. David is the supposed composer/compiler of most of the psalms. Some were written, like this one, for commemorating particular occasions.
David is confident before God the judge, that God will judge justly--and in favor of him and against his enemy.
Those of us who grew up in a tradition that emphasized St. Paul and his interpretation of God's saving work generally don't see God's judgment as a good thing. We're used to thinking of our sinful nature as making it impossible for God to judge us favorably. But that is not the position of the psalmist. Though there are psalms that acknowledge the sinfulness of the psalmist, the majority are about the psalmist's plea for God's vindication.
Genesis 19-21. This is where modern people want to just say "STOP!!!" There is too much violence in the Old Testament. We're not used to such graphic violence. Who thinks it's a good idea for kids to read this stuff without adult assistance?
Whatever this passage is about, it is NOT about a wholesale condemnation of the kind of same-sex love that occurs between men or women (consenting equals) in the 21st century.
With King Abimelech of Gerar in Gen. 20, we see that Abraham did not really learn the lesson of what it means to be a head of household with Pharaoh. Once again, he is willing, to save his own skin, to give up his wife to another man.
Genesis 21--the birth of Isaac, and the sad parting of Hagar and Ishmael. The story seems to come from a different tradition than the earlier stories about Ishmael. There he was 13; here Ishmael seems to be much younger, a toddler, perhaps. And they are driven away when Isaac is assuredly to be Abraham's heir. Sad...Cruel...doesn't show Abraham or Sarah in a very good light. But there it is. Even God's chosen people are sometimes great sinners and blind to their own biases.
Matthew 7 More teachings of Jesus, including his statement of the Golden Rule.
Emphasis on hearing and acting on Jesus' words and principles.
Once again, I find the Sermon on the Mount to be a quite daunting document. I find myself judged by it, and found wanting.
Summary in 7:28-9: Now when Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
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